No, silly...all that corn is GOOD for you!

[Mamagistra]

 

High Fructose Corn Syrup, so innocent and charming......while its detractors are dolts (click See Our Ads). :glare: :rolleyes: This kind of big-industry propaganda makes. me. ill. :ack2:

[Tarheel Heather]

:001_huh:

 

Yep, I got nothing.

 

That's ridiculous.

[nakitty]

WOW!:001_huh:

[Miss Peregrine]

But, but... it's a sweet surprise. :rolleyes:

[Kris]

They've recently started running the commercials here about how "harmless" and "healthy" it is. I've been rolling my eyes, and am pleased to see my son is "on to them," too.

 

Good grief.

[Anne Rittenhouse]

Isn't this good news?

 

Now, they have to spend big bucks to justfiy putting junk in our food.

 

I found HFCS in a can of plain red kidney beans....why oh why do kidney beans need to be sweetened?

 

Although I have no sugar problems now, diabetes does run in the family. How does anyone keep track of all those hidden sugars and carbs. Kidney beans! I wouldn't necessarily look at the label for hidden sugars in that product.

[PariSarah]

Did I ever tell you about the ad in parents' magazines in France? Where a little kid is playing with those prewrapped sugar cubes you can buy? He's building a castle with them, like with blocks? And, like, the text? Says, "Sugar. The building blocks for your baby's health."

 

[Twinmom]

 

Well, Sarah, that just about sums it up!

[Kelli in TN]

Thank you so much for posting this link. Now I can stop telling my children in the grocery store, "No, look, HFCS is the second ingredient. Put that back on the shelf." Instead I can say "Wait, HFCS is only the second ingredient. Put that back and look for something that has it as the first ingredient."

 

You have changed my whole outlook on food. Down with the farmer's market!! Up with processed foods!!! More HFCS for everyone!!!

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Well, I certainly believe that honey is 1000 times more "natural" than HFC, and I certainly don't trust the FDA's definitions, or their science. However, I admit that all my reasons to avoid HFC have been anecdotal and acquired by word of mouth. Could someone link me to a real study or reliable information of some kind (with references) on HFC? Thanks!

[Melora in NC]

Sorry to be stupid, but how Is HFCS different from sugar or honey?

I understand that sugar shouldn't be the main ingredient (or the second ingredient) in most of what we eat, but is there something about HFCS that makes it worse than adding too much of, say, honey or granulated sugar to food?

[Twinmom]

I'm sure someone can chime in with more details, but it has to do with the way it is processed. Refined sugar isn't great either, but I don't think it has the same level of nastiness that comes with the processing involved in HFCS.

[Beth in IN]

Sorry to be stupid, but how Is HFCS different from sugar or honey?

I understand that sugar shouldn't be the main ingredient (or the second ingredient) in most of what we eat, but is there something about HFCS that makes it worse than adding too much of, say, honey or granulated sugar to food?

 

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

 

Here you go.:)

[Tracy in Ky]

We have been trying to eliminate it from our diets, after learning about how deadly and dangerous it is. Even my dc read labels now. lol.

 

I can't remember every horrible thing it does, but off the top of my head I think it contributes massively to weight gain (and as such is one of the largest contributors to the obesity epidemic in our country), insulin resistance (leading to diabetes--another recently rising health problem. I think the projection is that 1 out of 3 children born in or after the year 2000 will get diabetes in their lifetime), and maybe arthritis/inflammatory conditions.

 

When you add in the impact of the margarine and industrial oils ( corn, canola, cotton seed, and anything hydrogenated--check your peanut butter) on heart health (heart disease was also pretty rare until the advent of industrial food), and the deadly effects from white flour and sugar. Well, welcome to modern health epidemics.

 

I studied this until I was blue in the face during this past winter and spring. I was shocked. I knew this stuff was bad for us, I just didn't know *how* bad. One fascinating thing I learned, and I wish I knew which book and where I read it, but around the first of the 20th century, someone at Harvard Medical school invented one of now widely used heart monitors--I can't remember which one, but something that checked for blockages I think. Anyway, his collegues told him that it was a waste of time to have such a machine. In otherwords, there were so few heart conditions that they didn't see the value in it. The guy had to go *looking* for people to use it on, who had heart problems. It just wasn't much of an issue at that point; most people were still healthy from eating a traditional diet (lard, butter, cream, non-industrial produce, nothing hydrogenated, whole grains, less refined grains and sugar, etc. ) Of course, not long after that, when the impact of the new western diet became obvious, the machine was in high demand.

 

Whew. I'll stop now. I really get all fired up about this stuff. But suffice to say, I am scared enough of HFCS that I spent $47 plus to guy ONE gallon of maple syrup so that I do not have to feed my family regular syrup (which has HFCS in it). We are not wealthy. That $47 is outrageous. But when I factor in the cost to our health of eating poison, it is worth it.

 

I said I would stop.:blushing:

[GailV]

I'm sure someone can chime in with more details, but it has to do with the way it is processed. Refined sugar isn't great either, but I don't think it has the same level of nastiness that comes with the processing involved in HFCS.

 

Also, as I recall, fructose is harder for your body to process than sucrose (table sugars).

 

I glanced through that article that was linked -- the bit about corn-based sweeteners being cheaper leaped out at me. If dh were here he could tell us all the policies that make that so -- it was a political play years and years ago, one of those things that never sticks in my mind, that made sugar cane expensive to import. (Of course, after that we would all suffer through a lecture on making fuel from corn vs. making fuel from sugar cane, as that is one of his soap boxes and the reason why he is forever discussing sugar prices, but he's not here so we're safe.)

[Tracy in Ky]

I glanced through that article that was linked -- the bit about corn-based sweeteners being cheaper leaped out at me. If dh were here he could tell us all the policies that

 

Oh yes, I remember now. It *is* cheaper, which is one reason it is in everything! And you are right--the body does process it differently.

 

Go to the following link at Amazon, to the book Fat Land, and do the "search inside" feature and read the first several pages available. You can read the about how the scientists were concerned about how the body processes it.

 

It is a very good book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Land-Americans-Became-Fattest/dp/0618380604/ref=ed_oe_p

[Only me]

Now that I've been following this thread and read a few links I'm convinced that HFCS is evil. I'm shocked that it is listed as the 2nd ingredient in so many of the foods I have in my home (chocolate milk, sweetened applesauce). I have two questions:

 

First, I know that avoiding any foods that have HFCS would be the best but is it safe if it is further down in the ingredients.

 

Second, where can I find similar foods without HFCS. My kids can do without chocolate milk but they will not eat unsweetened applesauce. I already limit soda at home but my oldest dd usually has soda, ice tea or some kind of juice at her high school for lunch. Is HFCS in all of those?

[KS_]

Second, where can I find similar foods without HFCS. My kids can do without chocolate milk but they will not eat unsweetened applesauce. I already limit soda at home but my oldest dd usually has soda, ice tea or some kind of juice at her high school for lunch. Is HFCS in all of those?

 

I know some organics don't have the HFCS - for instance ketchup. I don't know about the applesauce, though - we only eat the unsweetened. But why not buy unsweetened and just add some sugar yourself if your kids won't eat it w/o the added sweetening. And that way, you could even gradually cut back on the sugar, until maybe they *would* eat it unsweetened.

[Mamagistra]

:rant:

One more thing re sweeteners...those of you who use stevia may not be aware of this interesting twist: Cargill and Coca-Cola have developed a new and "improved" version of stevia that will soon be ubiquitous.

 

While it sounds great initially, stevia was disallowed as a sweetener by our thoughtful pals at the FDA back in 1991. It has only been sold as a"dietary supplement"...until now, when our big cuddly corporate friends shall relieve us of the burden of consuming something natural and patent-free. :rolleyes: Yeah: all of a sudden, it's just fine because it's being processed and given a Very Costly Trademark. :glare:

 

Why, they're even going to change it up a bit and give it snazzy new monikers! Clever, eh? :glare: This miracle of the lab...I mean, nature will be known as Rebiana or Truvia.

[Tracy in Ky]

I already limit soda at home but my oldest dd usually has soda, ice tea or some kind of juice at her high school for lunch. Is HFCS in all of those?

 

Unless it is diet soda (and then you have other ingredient concerns) it is more than likely full of HFCS. The tea I am not sure about, but if it is processed and shipped in, I would say chances are good that it is in there. I am not sure about the juice. If it is sweetened juice, it is probably HFCS. I only buy unsweetened juice, unless someone here has bladder concerns. In that case I buy cranberry juice cocktail. The straight stuff is more than I can handle :blink:

 

The hard truth is, is that it is difficult to buy processed foods and avoid HFCS. It has forced me to begin making more and more things from scratch. I also try to avoid hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils. Trying to find processed foods that omit both those and HFCS is almost impossible. We do still have some of those things creeping into our diet, but it is less than before. It is hard work.

 

Maybe you can start reading labels on the things you usually buy and eat, and then slowly eliminate those that have HFCS in them. You have to go slow though, or you will both starve and be overwhelmed. You just can't do this all at once and still function. It takes time to replace each item with a healthier alternative. Industrial salad dressing is one of the hardest things for me to replace. They are generally full of HFCS and bad oils, but I can't seem to completely eliminate them from our diet. I haven't given up, but it is one of the last holdouts!

 

Hugs,

Tracy

[Melora in NC]

Oh yes, I remember now. It *is* cheaper, which is one reason it is in everything! And you are right--the body does process it differently.

 

Go to the following link at Amazon, to the book Fat Land, and do the "search inside" feature and read the first several pages available. You can read the about how the scientists were concerned about how the body processes it.

 

It is a very good book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Land-Americans-Became-Fattest/dp/0618380604/ref=ed_oe_p

 

That looks interesting -- thank you!

[Laurel]

But suffice to say, I am scared enough of HFCS that I spent $47 plus to guy ONE gallon of maple syrup so that I do not have to feed my family regular syrup (which has HFCS in it). We are not wealthy. That $47 is outrageous. But when I factor in the cost to our health of eating poison, it is worth it.

 

 

I love real maple syrup, and growing up in Maine, it's what I was raised on. The gallon I brought back home (to OK) a few weeks ago cost me $66! (Organic.) But it does last a while.

 

Second, where can I find similar foods without HFCS. My kids can do without chocolate milk but they will not eat unsweetened applesauce. I already limit soda at home but my oldest dd usually has soda, ice tea or some kind of juice at her high school for lunch. Is HFCS in all of those?

 

Organic foods usually don't have HFCS. HFCS will be in sodas and teas, and juice-cocktails, or juice-type drinks. Encourage your daughter to drink 100% juice if she must have something sweet at lunch. (Ideally she would bring her own bottle with water, or homemade tea, but I'm guessing that wouldn't go over too well...) Try different kinds of unsweetened applesauce, especially ones that are made with different fruits. (I'm partial to apricot applesauce, kids like berry applesauce.) Or look for organic sweetened applesauce.

[GailV]

Now that I've been following this thread and read a few links I'm convinced that HFCS is evil. I'm shocked that it is listed as the 2nd ingredient in so many of the foods I have in my home (chocolate milk, sweetened applesauce). I have two questions:

 

First, I know that avoiding any foods that have HFCS would be the best but is it safe if it is further down in the ingredients.

 

Second, where can I find similar foods without HFCS. My kids can do without chocolate milk but they will not eat unsweetened applesauce. I already limit soda at home but my oldest dd usually has soda, ice tea or some kind of juice at her high school for lunch. Is HFCS in all of those?

 

We've been buying stuff sans HFCS for years and years, to the point where it's almost tough to answer your question, believe it or not. I remember remarking to my mom that the type of bread she bought had HFCS and she just said, "Well, you can't find anything without it," and thinking that *I* bought a particular brand that didn't have it, but I had searched it out on the grocery shelves and then stuck with it forever and ever. So it seemed simple to me to buy bread sans HFCS, but it seemed difficult for her.

 

Maybe you could try to find ONE new item each week. Maybe this week you'll find a type of bread that doesn't have it, then next week a type of salad dressing, then next week canned fruit, then ketchup, etc. etc. I start with some of the biggies that you eat all of the time, and not stress too much about stuff you have only occasionally.

 

Many fruit juices have it. MIL was pretty ticked off at us that we didn't let our kids drink the stuff she bought because it had HFCS. It was simply a matter of looking for a label that said 100% juice (a label that says 100% natural doesn't necessarily work, btw, since corn is natural).

 

We never ever buy applesauce that's sweetened. We buy plain and dust it with cinnamon, we buy the types that are a mix of applesauce and other fruits (read the labels -- those could have HFCS) or we make our own and dump table sugar or maple syrup in it. Hmmm, I suppose you could buy plain and mix in maple syrup to taste.

 

Now that we've moved to a bigger metropolitan area we shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Those stores tend to have lots of choices that are HFCS-free (they might only carry foods that are HFCS-free, but I haven't really looked into whether or not that is true -- I just read the label on anything new I pick up, and occasionally review labels from things I buy all the time to see if they've changed ingredients).

 

Oh, and just this morning I found an article here about the problems with soft drinks that contain corn syrup. We buy Knudsen Juice Spritzers (expensive! wait for a sale!) or Whole Foods store brand for the times we want to have a bubbly soft drink. And since it's so incredibly expensive we just don't drink the stuff very often!

 

Actually, one of the reasons we avoid HFCS is because corn products make my joints ache. I can tell if I've had something with corn syrup by the way I feel in the morning. I'm sort of like the canary in the mine at our house.

[Tracy in Ky]

One of the best books that deals with this subject and other fascinating related issues is The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollen. Warning--it is hard to put this book down. You will LOVE it, and you will never look at food the same way!

 

Real Food by Nancy Planck is another outstanding read. Also, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

 

Oh--and Fast Food Nation!

[GailV]

But suffice to say, I am scared enough of HFCS that I spent $47 plus to guy ONE gallon of maple syrup so that I do not have to feed my family regular syrup (which has HFCS in it).

 

Drifting off topic here, but Grade B maple syrup has more flavor so you often end up using less, and is often cheaper.

 

I haven't purchased any maple syrup lately, though -- we don't eat much of it during the hot months.

[Jennifer3141]

One of the best books that deals with this subject and other fascinating related issues is The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollen. Warning--it is hard to put this book down. You will LOVE it, and you will never look at food the same way!

 

Real Food by Nancy Planck is another outstanding read. Also, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

 

Oh--and Fast Food Nation!

 

Now you've referenced one of my favorite books of all time, AVM! Kingsolver is such a fabulous author and she made a subject that is so important easy to comprehend. I just got another locavore book at the bookstore last night. I can't wait to delve into it but I have to finish a book for the classics bookclub first - Cuckoo's Nest. Then I can "rest" with some good comfort reading.

 

Has anyone here seen the documentary about corn in the U.S? I think it's called "Corn Nation."

 

Jen

[Beth in IN]

Second, where can I find similar foods without HFCS. ?

 

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? They are the most reasonable for more "natural" foods. I have always lived near one and now I live about an hour away so I stock up when I go there.

 

If TJ's is not an option, how about a health food store? Just be careful because they can be very expensive and you may be opening pandora's box. :tongue_smilie:Actualy most of the big stores carry organic(which would contain no HFSC) now, even Walmart, so check your markets.

 

Then ofcourse, as others have said, you can always make things from scratch, if you have the time and inclanation. Then you can control what goes into your food.

[Amy in NH]

Read the labels of everything you buy. Look in the "organic" section for items you can't live without. Some brands are better than others (ie Newmans).

 

Bottled soda & iced tea contain HFCS, but 100% juice does not. Jones is the only soda I've found that claims to use sugar, but there is some controversy about that. We don't do artificial sweeteners either, so that eliminates diet soda as well.

[Mamagistra]

Has anyone here seen the documentary about corn in the U.S? I think it's called "Corn Nation."

 

Yes, it's entertaining. In fact, the HFCS happyfun website actually takes issue with the film here. :rolleyes:

[MommyX8]

So much stuff has HFCS in it. Nutrigrain bars, Ritz Crackers, Wheat Thins. Check your General Mills cereals. They have it now, too. Even Rita's water ice. :glare:

 

We only use real maple syrup, too. That price has certainly skyrocketed.

[Tracy in Ky]

Yes, it's entertaining. In fact, the HFCS happyfun website actually takes issue with the film here. :rolleyes:

 

 

The documentary/movie called "King Corn" is really good too! Do a google search for clips!

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

For chocolate milk:

 

Mix together 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt. Make sure it is blended well with no lumps

 

Put a teaspoonful in a glass. Add a a couple of teaspoons warm water and stir till the mixture is dissolved. Add milk and stir.

 

Or you can make homemade chocolate syrup. I have a recipe that I can find for you if you want.

 

It tastes a little different than mixes like Nestle Quick.

[Doran]

Okay, let's not be unfair. I'll give credit where credit is due.

 

HFCS does not have any artificial ingredients.

 

HFCS is nutrionally and calorically identical to sugar.

 

Fine. But, the truth is no one really knows the truth about HFCS because there are not yet enough studies providing empirical data to prove HFCS leads to obesity or other illness. And, there are no studies to tell us how a chemically altered product like HFCS reacts in the human gut in comparison to its close cousin, table sugar. So, while it may be unfair to condemn HFCS entirely as a food (OTOH, is it a food?...this is one of my real problems with it) product, at this juncture, it is equally unfair to campaign that it is, in effect, "just as good as sugar".

 

My contentions with HFCS are these:

 

1. It's a highly refined "food" which is something I am trying to avoid.

 

2. It shows up, ubiquitously, in highly processed foods which are something I'm trying to avoid.

 

3. It's rise to stardom in the US food industry has something a sketchy story behind it which smacks of corporate lobbying and a govt./agribusiness partnership. This troubles me enough to avoid it on principle.

 

As Michael Pollan's latest book, In Defense of Food, states right on its cover: Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

 

That works for me.

 

If you'd like another opinion on this topic, you might find these articles/blog entries of interest.